Theoretically, the grievance process is an ideal example of democracy at work. It's a testament to the concept that you can fight City Hall. It's a simple idea: if you as property owner feel you are paying too much in real estate taxes, you have the right to grieve. Your complaint is then reviewed by an impartial party. If the judgement goes in your favor, your taxes are reduced! While your local town government will give you all the necessary forms and guidelines to do this job yourself, the process can be complicated. As a result, the tax grievance process can be a time-consuming, murky procedure. That's why most people opt for an experienced consultant or agent to represent them -- just as they might hire an accountant to prepare their income tax returns. The process starts on "Grievance Day" (the third Tuesday in May for Suffolk County and March 1 for Nassau County). This is the one day each year when homeowners may officially protest assessments. The next phase is the appeal process which costs $25 for the actual filing and involves sending seven copies of the petition to five different offices. Our process is based on establishing the Market Value of your property. In order to reduce your property taxes we must prove that the value of your property is less than the valuation assigned by your assessing district. Appraisals are the primary evidence used to prove value throughout the process. Recent sales and other factors do come into play as well. Assessments are required by law to be proportional to market value. This means if you live in a $100,000 house, and your neighbor lives in a $200,000 house, his assessment should legally be twice yours. Using official New York State statistical data and local tax rolls, TRS can analyze your assessment and determine if your home is being over-assessed. If the actual current market value of your home is significantly less in today's market than the value implied by the assessor, there is a very good chance TRS can lower your real estate taxes. We work completely on contingency, one-half of the first year's savings. We prepare all of the paperwork and make all the appearances for you. To start your grievance process, simply contact our office for your free property tax analysis.